K-State puts plans for athletic upgrades on hold

By JEFFREY MARTIN

The Kansas City Star

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The new basketball practice facility for Frank Martin and Deb Patterson will have to wait, as will an expanded ticket office, a hall of fame and renovations to the west side of Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Kansas State athletic director John Currie said Tuesday that those projects, which were to be financed through $35 million in private funding and another $35 million in debt financing, are in the process of being re-evaluated. They had stalled under the previous administration.

What he told K-State faculty and students during a Monday forum — that the plans were on hold — wasn’t anything new.

“Nothing has changed,” Currie said Tuesday.

Currie told forum attendees the projects may eventually rely more on fundraising because he is cautious about using debt financing for projects that don’t provide extra revenue.

“We can fundraise, hypothetically, for anything,” Currie said at the forum. “That’s going to be our priority.”

The economic climate, Currie explained, has made revisiting the plans difficult. Coupled with the transition of a new administration — as well as recent financial gaffes that have come to light — the timing isn’t right, he said.

“We’re in the process of evaluating all projects and priorities,” Currie said Tuesday. “At the same time, we’re not going to stop trying to improve the program …

“We’ll quickly get back on offense.”

To reach Kansas State reporter Jeffrey Martin, call 816-234-4701 or send e-mail to jmartin@kcstar.com

Posted on Tue, Jun. 30, 2009 11:30 PM

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